(MENAFN- AzerNews) The Boston Celtics fought off a spirited challenge fromshort-handed Cleveland Monday, beating the Cavaliers 109-102 totake a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conferencesemi-final series as Oklahoma City leveled their series with Dallasin a wild finish, Azernews reports citing to Foxsports.
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and JaylenBrown added 27 points for the Celtics, who will try to finish offthe best-of-seven series at home on Thursday (AEST).
The Cavaliers were dealt a heavy blow when Donovan Mitchell, whohad averaged more than 35 points over the six prior games, wasruled out with a calf injury, joining starting centre Jarrett Allenon the sidelines.
NBA superstar LeBron James, who led the Cavs to their only NBAtitle back in 2016, was sitting courtside with his agent Rich Paul,but with Mitchell absent the Cavs ultimately didn't have enoughfirepower.
James' attendance was somewhat notable given he can opt out hiscontract with the Los Angeles Lakers and become a free agent in thesummer.
The superstar was initially drafted by the Cavs and spent sevenseasons there before a move to Miami in 2010.
But James returned in 2014 and led Cleveland to its first NBAchampionship in 2016.
The Cavs kept the pressure on, taking the lead briefly on DariusGarland's driving basket early in the third quarter - their firstlead since the first quarter.
But the Celtics quickly reasserted themselves and led by 10going into the final period.
Cleveland, on the back of 30 points from Garland, pulled withinfive points three times in the final four minutes, but Brown, fedby Tatum, connected on a three-pointer with 1:09 to play thateffectively sealed it.
“It's a game of runs,” Tatum said after the Celtics struggled toput the depleted Cavaliers away.
“It's not going to be perfect every single time. They're goingto make shots, but it's our job to figure it out.”
The Celtics, winners of a league-best 64 regular-season games,used a 12-0 scoring run to take charge in the first quarter, Tatumscoring 16 points in the period.
Boston led by as many as 13 in the second quarter but Tatumcooled off and Cleveland, buoyed by 11 of their 15 three-pointersin the first half, battled back, twice cutting the deficit to onepoint before going into the break down by five.
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